


Mango Juice and Soju

by monstabaebae



Series: Changki Bingo Entries 2019!! [2]
Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Changki Bingo, Fluff, Idol/Fan AU, M/M, Nothing Sexual, Singer kihyun, changki rise, loads of cute, sassy changkyun, store clerk changkyun, stressed kihyun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-19
Updated: 2019-02-19
Packaged: 2019-10-31 07:42:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17845241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/monstabaebae/pseuds/monstabaebae
Summary: Kihyun is stressed and wonders if being an idol is really worth it.Then, he meets Changkyun, a convenience store worker that talks to him near in the dead of night and realizes that he’s not alone.





	Mango Juice and Soju

**Author's Note:**

> My second fic for Changki Bingo!  
> Prompt: Idol/Fan
> 
> Note: Most of the flashbacks and inner thoughts are supposed to be in italics. But my ipad won’t let me edit properly, so use your imagination.
> 
> Let me know what you guys think. It’s short and simple but it’s cute.

“There he is! It’s Kihyun oppa!”

An endless barrage of screams and cheers erupted from the humongous crowd. Security quickly rushed forward to keep the fans from pushing past the sidewalk barrier, holding them back and keeping them in check.

Such precautions were necessary when it came to the protection of idols. There had been many cases of sasaeng fans attempting to stalk, kidnap, poison and even attempt to kill famous celebrities out of “love.” Not all fans were bad, but the bad ones truly knew how to ruin it for good fans.

Taking a deep breath, Kihyun made his way out of the broadcasting station. He had just finished a radio show interview and was on his way to his next schedule. His manager hated being late.

“Oppa! Look over here!” A fan screamed, her high-definition camera using a rapid shutter, the flash blinding in his eyes. A bunch of other bystanders followed suit, his eyes burning under the harsh lights as he continued to smile professionally.

Kihyun was honestly ready for the day to be over.

Fans had attempted to break into his apartment earlier in the day while he was out. Then, a group of them somehow got his number and sent him inappropriate texts and phone calls throughout the day. (He would have to change his number again for the third time that month.)

Finally, during the radio show, the interviewer asked him a question that got under his skin. It wasn’t rude or uncomfortable, in fact it was just a normal question. But to Kihyun, it made him itch, unable to respond properly to the inquiry.

 

The DJ looked at Kihyun, his smile warm as he spoke into the microphone. “Mr. Yoo, how do you feel about your career so far? Do you feel as though it’s everything you asked for?”

Kihyun closed his eyes, everyone’s voices fading as his head began to ache. A sharp pain throbbed behind his temple, sharp and numbing, attempting to will it away.

“What do you mean?” Kihyun asked, slightly bewildered and caught off upon hearing the question. “I love what I do and I’m still learning with each day that passes. I love my fans and I’m content.”

 

“Watch out, Kihyun oppa!”

Opening his eyes, Kihyun felt everything snap back to reality, all of his senses returning on full blast. He saw fans trying to reach for him while security rushed the singer towards the van as quickly as possible. He had to be professional, all of these people came out to see them. He couldn’t let them down.

He bit his lip, bowed to the fans and forced a smile. “Thank you all for coming out to see me. I’ll work even harder from now on to make all of you happy.” He bowed once more and climbed into the van, the sounds of the cheers being drowned out from the sudden silence.

The manager climbed into the passenger’s seat, getting settled before looking back at the singer. “Good job today, Kihyun. Let’s head home so you can get rested for the scheduled live performance and photoshoot set for tomorrow.”

Kihyun forced another smile, finding that they’re becoming natural to him. “Yes, sir.” He put in his headphones and looked out the window as the van began to drive away.

He looked over the huge amount of fans crowded on the street, their hands filled with banners and signs with Kihyun’s name on them. It was cold out, but they all continued to wave and scream his name as he drove off, their eyes filled with devotion.

Kihyun pulled his gaze away from the window, closing his eyes with a deep sigh. He loved his fans and he knew how to separate the real ones from the “special fans.” He loved that they supported him and would be forever grateful but…

Was this life truly what he wanted?

He thought back to the radio show earlier, his heart sinking in his chest.

 

The DJ laughed, shaking his head as though Kihyun had told him a joke. “That’s not what I meant. It’s amazing that you are happy with your and and content with your profession but, is this what you wanted? I mean, is it worth it, making it this far?”

Kihyun felt his smile fade as he absorbed the question, at a loss for words as he tilted his head. He caught his breath and forced himself to respond. “O-Of course it is! I’ve spent my whole life working hard to get to this point, I don’t regret any of it!”

He knew he had taken too long to respond and his actual response sounded like defiance. His neck was sweating and his mind was at war with itself.

The DJ merely nodded and smiled, though it seemed sad. “I appreciate the genuine response, I know the fans enjoyed it as well. Keep doing your best. You’re gonna make it big.”

 

Clenching his fists, Kihyun shook himself out of the memory. He had done his best and there was nothing he could do to change his response. He just had to keep working harder and everything would be okay..

Letting out a groan, Kihyun sat up and tugged on his manager’s shoulder. “Hyung, pull over. I’m hungry.”

 

*

 

After nearly twenty minutes of begging and pleading, Kihyun managed to get his manager to stop at a convenience store near his apartment.

He walked into the store, jumping in surprise as the bell above the door jingled his arrival. It had been so long since he had gone into one, in case fans or paparazzi were around. It was for his safety, plus, the staff usually went to grab him snacks and drinks because he wasn’t allowed to go out. This was a treat.

“Welcome!” A voice called from the back of the store, most likely from the stock room.

Kihyun hummed in response, taking his time to look over the food and juice options. He was so used to eating healthy, he couldn’t remember the last time he had eaten cup noodles or even pre-packaged kimbap. His mouth watered at the sight of the food, but he blamed it on the lack of food from his busy day.

Grabbing a basket, he filled it with three containers of cup noodles, two kimbaps, three mango juices and a bottle of soju. He looked over the chips and grabbed some shrimp chips and a strawberry cheesecake latte milk.

Satisfied, he walked over to the counter and pulled out his wallet, fingering through the bills. Should he pay in cash, or by card? He had recently gotten paid but he hated using his card when he had cash…

“Are you all set sir?” The voice from before called. The voice took the form of a college age male, his face acne-scarred and his physique lean in his uniform. He looked at Kihyun and gave him a warm smile before starting to ring up the items.

“Ah.. yes.” Kihyun nodded, pulling his eyes from the male to look at the candy on display. A mainstream song filtered softy through the speakers overhead, barely audible over the freezer fan.

“Is this all for yourself?” He male asked, his voice soft as he continued to ring with a smile.

Immediately, Kihyun got defensive, his cheeks red. “S-So what if it is?” He had no idea why he responded the way he did and he puffed his cheeks.

The cashier laughed, the sound deep and sweet to the ear. “It’s not a bad thing. In fact, you chose some of my favorite snacks to munch on during my shifts. Especially the strawberry cheesecake latte. It’s my saving grace for the night shift.” The male groaned as he scanned the item, his smile somehow bigger.

  
Kihyun felt a ghost of a smile on his lips as he listened to the younger male. “You must work here a lot. Are you in school?”

The cashier nodded and grinned. “Could you tell by my baby face?”

“I suppose. You do have some beautiful features.” Kihyun agreed, his smile growing bigger as he tilted his head.

“Aw, thank you. I’m super adorable.” The male batted his eyelashes playfully. “I’m in college for music production. I work here and a small chicken place in the city to make ends meet and pay for my dorm.”

The singer felt his smile falter, feeling a bit heavy hearing the male’s story. “You must be very stressed.” Kihyun whispered.

“Ah!” The cashier’s eyes widened as he shook his head, his mouth open in shock. “I-I didn’t mean to share my troubles! I just wanted to share a bit about myself to you, that’s all! I hope I didn’t offend you.”

“Not at all.” Kihyun reassured, his voice soft and genuine. “I find what you do very admirable.” He never had to work two jobs to support himself, not when he was training He focused all of his energy on his music and sacrificed normalcy to get where he was now.

He wouldn’t be able to understand the cashier, no matter how hard he tried. They were from two different worlds.

Just like his fans, they were all so different from him. No, he was different from them.

“You okay, sir?” The cashier asked.

Kihyun kept his eyes on the counter, moving to nod but opting to let out a soft sigh. Closing his eyes, he bit his lip. “Going to college, working two jobs for school. Is it worth it?”

The cashier tilted his head, moving his eyes to stare at Kihyun despite tapping away on the register screen. He was silent for a moment before he smiled. “Of course it is.”

“Why?” Kihyun asked, almost begged. He felt his heart hammer in his chest, needing some clarity. What was he missing?

The male blinked slowly and chuckled. “Simple. Because I love what I do and I never want to stop doing what I love. Every stress and headache will be worth it. When I reach my goal, I’m gonna make a new dream and work even harder. It’s all to do what I love, that’s all I want and need in my life.”

Silent, Kihyun looked the male over, taking in every feature while he willed his brain to calm down. He nodded slowly and whispered under his breath. “I understand…”

The cashier nodded and rung up the total, his expression soft. “Your total is 5,500 won when you’re ready, sir.”

Kihyun looked up in surprise, his eyes wide as he glanced at the screen and at his snacks. “B-But, it should be much more…”

“You look like you need a breather. Just enjoy your snacks and relax tonight.” The male smiled, bagging the food items and holding out his hands for Kihyun’s method of payment.

“I-I can’t do that. I want to pay the full price.” Kihyun insisted, licking his lips as he tried not to stutter. “Y-You… helped me with something and I want to pay you properly. So you can keep going to school to become a famous producer.”

“Yah… don’t make me feel bad.’ The cashier puffed out his lower lip, looking surprisingly cute. “Fine, I’ll let you pay, but you’d better let me treat you next time. It’s not every day someone like you comes into my store.”

“Next time?” Kihyun echoed, passing the male his card once the total had been changed to the original amount.

“Yup. You’d better come and visit me more often, so we can chat about school and snacks. Maybe have a date with some soju and mango juice as a chaser.” The male winked, a pair of dimples appearing on his cheeks.

“You have quite the romantic side. Soju and mango juice is my weakness.” Kihyun laughed, feeling lighter than he had in a long time. “What’s your name, kid?”

The cashier charged the card and passed it back to Kihyun with a smile. “Im Changkyun. Don’t forget my name, cause after tonight, you won’t be able to stop thinking about me.”

Kihyun felt his heart skip, with happiness and a bit of shyness. He took his snacks and opened his mouth to speak, when his phone buzzed in his pocket.

It was his manager. Time to head back to the apartment.

“I have to go.” The singer sighed, genuinely reluctant to leave. He looked at Changkyun and gave him a small smirk. “Stay cute until I come back.”

Changkyun grinned, his smile blinding as he threw a finger heart at the older male. “I’ll do my best. And make sure to hold your head up more, you’re an a amazing guy. Don’t let anyone talk you down or take that away from you.”

With every step he took towards the door, the more Kihyun didn’t want to leave. His phone buzzed again in his pocket and he waved to the cashier once more. ‘“I’ll see you when I can, Changkyun.”

The male looked Kihyun in the eye and waved, his gaze playful. “See you soon, Mr. Yoo.”

Kihyun felt his cheeks flush at the title, but he walked out with a call over his shoulder. “Just call me Kihyun. Look me up sometime.”

He walked out into the chilly night air, siping on his mango juice silently. Walking to the van, his manager popped out, his expression curious. “You look happy.”

“Do I?” Kihyun mused, smiling as he sipped his juice.

“Yeah. Oddly happy.” The manager said in a mocked tone of disgust. Climbing back in, he opened the door for Kihyun. “Get in and let’s. Head back.”

Getting into his seat, Kihyun shut the door and looked back at the convenience store from the window. No one had been inside while he was there, the place looking deserted from the outside.

He was about to close his eyes and go to sleep when he looked down at that back of his receipt. Squinting, he ran a hand through his hair and took a closer look at the piece of paper.

It was kind of hard to read, even though the ink was bold and fresh on the material. He quickly decoded the scribbles and quickly pieced the words together.

 

To; The Famous Singer Yoo Kihyun  
Sorry for not admitting that I recognized you. I’ve never met a celebrity before. There was so much I wanted to say and yet I don’t regret a single moment of our time together tonight.

The reason I’m so confident in what I do, is because I love to see you perform on stage. You have an aura that’s like a magnet and you work so hard. I want to be just like you, I want to inspire people and chase my dreams, maybe even capture a few hearts along the way. You’re everything I want to be and the perfect man.

But don’t be afraid to share your worries with people, especially your fans. Mostly me. >.<  
We want to be there for you in any way we can and see your worries as well as your happiness. You’re not perfect and we don’t expect you to be. You give us hope and a dream to work harder, but we know you’re human. Rely on us sometime, ya old man!

Come back soon so I can get your autograph~ Soju and mango juice on me.  
~Changkyunnie, age 22.

 

Wiping away the tears in his eyes, Kihyun looked outside, desperate. He couldn’t have been imagining this, he needed validation. He scanned the storefront and-

There he was.

It was Changkyun, his dimpled somehow brilliant and vibrant despite the distance. He was waving shyly and his eyes were bright, making Kihyun’s heart grow warm.

He wanted to run out and tell Changkyun that he wasn’t strong, that he was no one special and to chide the male for calling him old. But all he could do was smile, the realest smile he had exposed in a very long time.

He smiled and waved, Changkyun’s smile visible from the window. He continued to wave until the bus picked up speed and drove out of sight, his mind slowly calming down for the first time that night.

Popping open the bottle of soju, Kihyun took a swig and chased it with some mango juice. Smiling to himself, he closed his eyes.

Thank you, Changkyun. I know what I have to do.

  
*

The next day, Kihyun uploaded a video onto his V-Live. He was wearing a white sweater and ripped black jeans, his face bare of any makeup and his hair tousled on top of his head. He looked calm, not stressed like he used to be.

“Sorry for not letting anyone know that I was going to be posting.” He started, his smile shy. “I’ve had a lot on my mind and I want to talk to you all about what’s on my mind. I want to keep you all in the loop and I want to be honest with you all about my stresses and worries, as well as about happy things.”

He took a breath and smiled at the camera lens. “A radio host asked me yesterday if what I was doing was worth it. I had begun to wonder what my purpose was. ‘Am I truly happy with what I’m doing? Is there somewhere else I’d rather be?’ I was overwhelmed with these thoughts and questions and I couldn’t seem to find an answer. Then, someone gave me some advice.”

“I have to remember why I started my career in the first place. I did it to make people happy, I did it because I loved music so much and I wanted to share my love for it with others. I became a singer because I couldn’t eat or sleep without it. I ached and longed for it, to the point where I worked nonstop for many years to get where I am now.”

He took another breath, trying to keep himself from crying. “I love you all and I’m blessed to have each and every one of you in my life. I’m going to be more dependent on you all and I’m going to work on my happiness with all of you. My music is for everyone and I want to share my world with you. Thank you.”

Looking up from his phone, Changkyun took a shot of his soju with a grin. “Well said, Mr. Singer. I look forward to seeing you more often and eventually getting your autograph.”

“Shut up and drink your soju, brat.” Kihyun chided, taking a sip of his own with a warm smile.

This was a new beginning and Kihyun was excited to have reforged his purpose. A little advice can go a long way and he was blessed.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoyed!  
> Feel free to messgae me on Curious Cat or Twitter @monstabaebae


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